If you collect and redeem Marriott Bonvoy points, it’s worth knowing which Marriott Bonvoy hotel is best in Dubai for families and couples: Grosvenor House vs. Le Royal Meridien. If you are redeeming points for a stay at either of these hotels, the price is 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, the same for both properties, which makes the choice even harder.
In terms of location, Grosvenor House is just across the road from Le Royal Meridien. Le Royal Meridien is on the beach with green gardens and pools, one with a bridge as well as plenty of palm trees. Grosvenor House is a short walk or minibus ride away from Le Royal Meridien and offers a more adult environment with better bars and feels more adult.
Le Royal Meridien was recently refurbished, so rooms here are light and modern. The Grosvenor House offers contemporary luxury and a more high-end feel.
Whichever of these two hotels that you decide to visit, you’ll need to jump in a taxi (which is cheap in Dubai) to go sightseeing as you are a 25 minute drive from Downtown and 35 minutes to the historic sights of Bur Dubai. The airport is around half an hour away.
1. Grosvenor House Dubai
The Grosvenor House Dubai feels very much like a proper Luxury Collection hotel, with a brilliant location close to the beach, next to the marina walk which has great bars and restaurants on the walkway as well as in the hotel. The main breakfast selection at the hotel is so good that the locals and ex-pats come here for breakfast.
The hotel is elegant with marble floors, dark wood furnishings, and plush carpets, and a walkway connecting the two towers that make up the hotel. Rooms are decorated in creams and browns, with dark wood furniture, and come with butler service, an espresso machine, and an iPod docking station. The bed is excellent and super comfy to sleep on. Bathrooms have a rain shower, a separate tub, and Bulgari amenities.
The Grosvenor House has great views of the marina from their rooms which is a great way to wake up. Many rooms have a nice balcony overlooking Atlantis. It’s worth upgrading to a Premier room, which includes access to the club lounge which is one of the best in Dubai.
The food in this club lounge at the Grosvenor House is very good. Breakfast is amazing, lunch is provided, followed by afternoon tea time and pre-dinner drinks. Afternoon tea is extravagant! Eggplant spaghetti and a large salad, anyone? This is a proper meal and the largest spread I have ever seen for an afternoon tea at a Marriott. Overall you can treat this lounge as if you have booked half or even full-board WITH alcoholic drinks, as there’s enough food to fill you up.
Overall, Grosvenor House Dubai is your best option and the most luxurious if you are a Marriott Bonvoy member looking for the best Marriott or SPG Starwood property to earn and redeem your points, particularly if you are traveling as a couple. You also get access to all the beach and pool facilities at Le Royal Meridien via their free and regular shuttle, or you can just run across Al Sufouh Road between the hotels, so you get the best of both worlds.
2. Le Royal Méridien Beach Resort & Spa
If you are a family, you may prefer to stay at Le Royal Méridien Beach Resort & Spa. This has large free-form pools with bridges, gorgeous grassy lawns adorned with palm trees, and a beach alongside. The foyer features a wall of 3D Arabic calligraphy and loads of natural light. Corridors and public areas are modern, with shades of grey and stylish artwork on the walls.
The decor in the rooms is fresh and modern, and the balconies in the rooms are large with lovely views, the best look over the gardens and beach. There are 504 rooms and suites in total at Le Royal Méridien Beach Resort & Spa. The majority of rooms offer a private balcony and sleep a maximum of 3 adults. The refurbished base rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows and are stylish, offering neutral tones with grey and mustard hues, blackout curtains, and a very comfortable king bed. Some bathrooms have a shower over a bath. Others have separate shower and tub.
There is a large club lounge here that serves breakfast, but do remember that it gets very busy at breakfast. The breakfast here in the lounge is extremely good, much like you would expect in a normal restaurant, with a vast buffet. After breakfast, you can grab snacks and drinks throughout the day. The lounge gets busy again at happy hour when they serve free alcoholic drinks and light bites.
There are 10 restaurants and bars at Le Royal Méridien Beach Resort & Spa, including Maya (Mexican), Geales (seafood), and Gary Rhodes’ Rhodes Twenty10 steakhouse. Brasserie 2.0 has a sunny terrace. The terrace at Zengo, which serves Asian cuisine, is the perfect place to relax as the sun goes down.
Grosvenor House vs. Le Royal Meridien
For a family, the pool at the Royal Meridien and having a beach will add to your holiday. Their interconnecting rooms are practical, and their playground is great if you want to keep the kids with you. There is also a free kids’ club for four- to 12-year-olds and teens’ club with activities including banana boat rides and karaoke. There are also children’s menus in all restaurants, so they will always find something that they like.
If you are traveling as a couple or on business, you may well prefer the pool at the Grosvenor House over the beach at Le Royal Meridien. It is quieter and more sophisticated, although it can be in the shade from the surrounding buildings for much of the day. Le Royal Meridien beach and the hotel itself is full of holidaymakers who have booked on packages, as well as lots of kids and, sometimes, mosquitos in the greenery. It doesn’t feel exclusive. The pool at the St Regis Saadiyat and the Grosvenor house feels more exclusive and could be considered an alternative if you are set on a beachside resort. But if you are there in the winter, the shadow over the pool can make this area cold and dark, so bear this in mind if you are a sunseeker. You need to work out when the pool will be in the sunshine during the day. Alternatively, head over to the Royal Meridien pool.
So which should you choose, Grosvenor House vs. Le Royal Meridien? If you are a sophisticated luxury traveler, the Grosvenor ticks more boxes (you can see the stylish pool here pictured above). If you are traveling as a family looking for a beach, Le Royal Meridien is probably best, but also take a look at the St Regis Saadiyat, which may be another good hotel choice towards Abu Dhabi.
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